A Game of Thrones Chapter Nine Free Essays

Tyrion Somewhere in the great stone maze of Winterfell, a wolf howled. The sound hung over the castle like a flag of mourning. Tyrion Lannister looked up from his books and shivered, though the library was snug and warm. We will write a custom essay sample on A Game of Thrones Chapter Nine or any similar topic only for you Order Now Something about the howling of a wolf took a man right out of his here and now and left him in a dark forest of the mind, running naked before the pack. When the direwolf howled again, Tyrion shut the heavy leatherbound cover on the book he was reading, a hundred-year-old discourse on the changing of the seasons by a long-dead maester. He covered a yawn with the back of his hand. His reading lamp was flickering, its oil all but gone, as dawn light leaked through the high windows. He had been at it all night, but that was nothing new. Tyrion Lannister was not much a one for sleeping. His legs were stiff and sore as he eased down off the bench. He massaged some life back into them and limped heavily to the table where the septon was snoring softly, his head pillowed on an open book in front of him. Tyrion glanced at the title. A life of the Grand Maester Aethelmure, no wonder. â€Å"Chayle,† he said softly. The young man jerked up, blinking, confused, the crystal of his order swinging wildly on its silver chain. â€Å"I’m off to break my fast. See that you return the books to the shelves. Be gentle with the Valyrian scrolls, the parchment is very dry. Ayrmidon’s Engines of War is quite rare, and yours is the only complete copy I’ve ever seen.† Chayle gaped at him, still half-asleep. Patiently, Tyrion repeated his instructions, then clapped the septon on the shoulder and left him to his tasks. Outside, Tyrion swallowed a lungful of the cold morning air and began his laborious descent of the steep stone steps that corkscrewed around the exterior of the library tower. It was slow going; the steps were cut high and narrow, while his legs were short and twisted. The rising sun had not yet cleared the walls of Winterfell, but the men were already hard at it in the yard below. Sandor Clegane’s rasping voice drifted up to him. â€Å"The boy is a long time dying. I wish he would be quicker about it.† Tyrion glanced down and saw the Hound standing with young Joffrey as squires swarmed around them. â€Å"At least he dies quietly,† the prince replied. â€Å"It’s the wolf that makes the noise. I could scarce sleep last night.† Clegane cast a long shadow across the hard-packed earth as his squire lowered the black helm over his head. â€Å"I could silence the creature, if it please you,† he said through his open visor. His boy placed a longsword in his hand. He tested the weight of it, slicing at the cold morning air. Behind him, the yard rang to the clangor of steel on steel. The notion seemed to delight the prince. â€Å"Send a dog to kill a dog!† he exclaimed. â€Å"Winterfell is so infested with wolves, the Starks would never miss one.† Tyrion hopped off the last step onto the yard. â€Å"I beg to differ, nephew,† he said. â€Å"The Starks can count past six. Unlike some princes I might name.† Joffrey had the grace at least to blush. â€Å"A voice from nowhere,† Sandor said. He peered through his helm, looking this way and that. â€Å"Spirits of the air!† The prince laughed, as he always laughed when his bodyguard did this mummer’s farce. Tyrion was used to it. â€Å"Down here.† The tall man peered down at the ground, and pretended to notice him. â€Å"The little lord Tyrion,† he said. â€Å"My pardons. I did not see you standing there.† â€Å"I am in no mood for your insolence today.† Tyrion turned to his nephew. â€Å"Joffrey, it is past time you called on Lord Eddard and his lady, to offer them your comfort.† Joffrey looked as petulant as only a boy prince can look. â€Å"What good will my comfort do them?† â€Å"None,† Tyrion said. â€Å"Yet it is expected of you. Your absence has been noted.† â€Å"The Stark boy is nothing to me,† Joffrey said. â€Å"I cannot abide the wailing of women.† Tyrion Lannister reached up and slapped his nephew hard across the face. The boy’s cheek began to redden. â€Å"One word,† Tyrion said, â€Å"and I will hit you again.† â€Å"I’m going to tell Mother!† Joffrey exclaimed. Tyrion hit him again. Now both cheeks flamed. â€Å"You tell your mother,† Tyrion told him. â€Å"But first you get yourself to Lord and Lady Stark, and you fall to your knees in front of them, and you tell them how very sorry you are, and that you are at their service if there is the slightest thing you can do for them or theirs in this desperate hour, and that all your prayers go with them. Do you understand? Do you?† The boy looked as though he was going to cry. Instead, he managed a weak nod. Then he turned and fled headlong from the yard, holding his cheek. Tyrion watched him run. A shadow fell across his face. He turned to find Clegane looming overhead like a cliff. His soot-dark armor seemed to blot out the sun. He had lowered the visor on his helm. It was fashioned in the likeness of a snarling black hound, fearsome to behold, but Tyrion had always thought it a great improvement over Clegane’s hideously burned face. â€Å"The prince will remember that, little lord,† the Hound warned him. The helm turned his laugh into a hollow rumble. â€Å"I pray he does,† Tyrion Lannister replied. â€Å"If he forgets, be a good dog and remind him.† He glanced around the courtyard. â€Å"Do you know where I might find my brother?† â€Å"Breaking fast with the queen.† â€Å"Ah,† Tyrion said. He gave Sandor Clegane a perfunctory nod and walked away as briskly as his stunted legs would carry him, whistling. He pitied the first knight to try the Hound today. The man did have a temper. A cold, cheerless meal had been laid out in the morning room of the Guest House. Jaime sat at table with Cersei and the children, talking in low, hushed voices. â€Å"Is Robert still abed?† Tyrion asked as he seated himself, uninvited, at the table. His sister peered at him with the same expression of faint distaste she had worn since the day he was born. â€Å"The king has not slept at all,† she told him. â€Å"He is with Lord Eddard. He has taken their sorrow deeply to heart.† â€Å"He has a large heart, our Robert,† Jaime said with a lazy smile. There was very little that Jaime took seriously. Tyrion knew that about his brother, and forgave it. During all the terrible long years of his childhood, only Jaime had ever shown him the smallest measure of affection or respect, and for that Tyrion was willing to forgive him most anything. A servant approached. â€Å"Bread,† Tyrion told him, â€Å"and two of those little fish, and a mug of that good dark beer to wash them down. Oh, and some bacon. Burn it until it turns black.† The man bowed and moved off. Tyrion turned back to his siblings. Twins, male and female. They looked very much the part this morning. Both had chosen a deep green that matched their eyes. Their blond curls were all a fashionable tumble, and gold ornaments shone at wrists and fingers and throats. Tyrion wondered what it would be like to have a twin, and decided that he would rather not know. Bad enough to face himself in a looking glass every day. Another him was a thought too dreadful to contemplate. Prince Tommen spoke up. â€Å"Do you have news of Bran, Uncle?† â€Å"I stopped by the sickroom last night,† Tyrion announced. â€Å"There was no change. The maester thought that a hopeful sign.† â€Å"I don’t want Brandon to die,† Tommen said timorously. He was a sweet boy. Not like his brother, but then Jaime and Tyrion were somewhat less than peas in a pod themselves. â€Å"Lord Eddard had a brother named Brandon as well,† Jaime mused. â€Å"One of the hostages murdered by Targaryen. It seems to be an unlucky name.† â€Å"Oh, not so unlucky as all that, surely,† Tyrion said. The servant brought his plate. He ripped off a chunk of black bread. Cersei was studying him warily. â€Å"What do you mean?† Tyrion gave her a crooked smile. â€Å"Why, only that Tommen may get his wish. The maester thinks the boy may yet live.† He took a sip of beer. Myrcella gave a happy gasp, and Tommen smiled nervously, but it was not the children Tyrion was watching. The glance that passed between Jaime and Cersei lasted no more than a second, but he did not miss it. Then his sister dropped her gaze to the table. â€Å"That is no mercy. These northern gods are cruel to let the child linger in such pain.† â€Å"What were the maester’s words?† Jaime asked. The bacon crunched when he bit into it. Tyrion chewed thoughtfully for a moment and said, â€Å"He thinks that if the boy were going to die, he would have done so already. It has been four days with no change.† â€Å"Will Bran get better, Uncle?† little Myrcella asked. She had all of her mother’s beauty, and none of her nature. â€Å"His back is broken, little one,† Tyrion told her. â€Å"The fall shattered his legs as well. They keep him alive with honey and water, or he would starve to death. Perhaps, if he wakes, he will be able to eat real food, but he will never walk again.† â€Å"If he wakes,† Cersei repeated. â€Å"Is that likely?† â€Å"The gods alone know,† Tyrion told her. â€Å"The maester only hopes.† He chewed some more bread. â€Å"I would swear that wolf of his is keeping the boy alive. The creature is outside his window day and night, howling. Every time they chase it away, it returns. The maester said they closed the window once, to shut out the noise, and Bran seemed to weaken. When they opened it again, his heart beat stronger.† The queen shuddered. â€Å"There is something unnatural about those animals,† she said. â€Å"They are dangerous. I will not have any of them coming south with us.† Jaime said, â€Å"You’ll have a hard time stopping them, sister. They follow those girls everywhere.† Tyrion started on his fish. â€Å"Are you leaving soon, then?† â€Å"Not near soon enough,† Cersei said. Then she frowned. â€Å"Are we leaving?† she echoed. â€Å"What about you? Gods, don’t tell me you are staying here?† Tyrion shrugged. â€Å"Benjen Stark is returning to the Night’s Watch with his brother’s bastard. I have a mind to go with them and see this Wall we have all heard so much of.† Jaime smiled. â€Å"I hope you’re not thinking of taking the black on us, sweet brother.† Tyrion laughed. â€Å"What, me, celibate? The whores would go begging from Dorne to Casterly Rock. No, I just want to stand on top of the Wall and piss off the edge of the world.† Cersei stood abruptly. â€Å"The children don’t need to hear this filth. Tommen, Myrcella, come.† She strode briskly from the morning room, her train and her pups trailing behind her. Jaime Lannister regarded his brother thoughtfully with those cool green eyes. â€Å"Stark will never consent to leave Winterfell with his son lingering in the shadow of death.† â€Å"He will if Robert commands it,† Tyrion said. â€Å"And Robert will command it. There is nothing Lord Eddard can do for the boy in any case.† â€Å"He could end his torment,† Jaime said. â€Å"I would, if it were my son. It would be a mercy.† â€Å"I advise against putting that suggestion to Lord Eddard, sweet brother,† Tyrion said. â€Å"He would not take it kindly.† â€Å"Even if the boy does live, he will be a cripple. Worse than a cripple. A grotesque. Give me a good clean death.† Tyrion replied with a shrug that accentuated the twist of his shoulders. â€Å"Speaking for the grotesques,† he said, â€Å"I beg to differ. Death is so terribly final, while life is full of possibilities.† Jaime smiled. â€Å"You are a perverse little imp, aren’t you?† â€Å"Oh, yes,† Tyrion admitted. â€Å"I hope the boy does wake. I would be most interested to hear what he might have to say.† His brother’s smile curdled like sour milk. â€Å"Tyrion, my sweet brother,† he said darkly, â€Å"there are times when you give me cause to wonder whose side you are on.† Tyrion’s mouth was full of bread and fish. He took a swallow of strong black beer to wash it all down, and grinned up wolfishly at Jaime, â€Å"Why, Jaime, my sweet brother,† he said, â€Å"you wound me. You know how much I love my family.† How to cite A Game of Thrones Chapter Nine, Essay examples

Women in World War One free essay sample

Although at these times women were only considered useful at the home, caring for their family by cleaning and cooking, the circumstances that followed with World War One gave women an opportunity to prove how they can contribute to society even more so than just caring for their homes. It is undeniable that the War enhanced the industrial revolution of women in Britain to a great extent, from 1914 to 1918 it is estimated that at least 2 million women replaced men in employment, 2 million women who were faced with abrupt yet enchanting alterations to their once dull and repetitive style of living. Men were considered the powerful and masculine figures in society of the early 1900’s. They were able to vote, work, receive education and could easily express their thoughts and opinions. Men had all of the rights that women didn’t have and also intimidated the women in the sense that they ruled in society. We will write a custom essay sample on Women in World War One or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When World War One began in 1914, those men felt as though to prove that masculine and courageous expectation that was set for them, they were required to serve in the army to protect their alliance, their rights, privileges and their social position. As they had left it was realised that jobs would be abandoned and employment of women to take over the men’s jobs while they were away was the only reasonable decision. Their entrance into the workforce was initially greeted with hostility for the usual sexist reasons and also because male workers worried that womens willingness to work for lower wages would put them out of work. It was also uncertain whether or not the women of Britain would be capable of the drastic responsibilities that followed with their employment. Employers circumvented wartime equal pay regulations by employing several women to replace one man. By doing this, larger groups of women were employed at a lower wage and were not considered to be directly ‘replacing’ the man. Although wages handed to women were still extremely low and vastly unequal compared to men, women still appreciated the chance of independence by working for their own wages and feeling as though they were able to support themselves. Another aspect of why men joined the armed forces was not only because they were expected or assumed to but because they were forced. This was called conscription. The modern form of conscription emerged in the French Revolution, when the government used its power to press able bodied men into military service. Conscription in World War One began in 1916, initially it was thought that this form of enrolment into the army was not necessary; there were plenty of young, willing volunteers at the beginning of the war, as it was thought ‘it would all be over by Christmas’ and it seemed like an exciting adventure. However, as the years went on, more and more people became exposed to the brutal realities of war and became uninterested in enlisting, and in order to replace the casualties and deaths, conscription was brought into action. Freedom for women during the War was extremely restricted, and a lifestyle that didnt involve being almost completely homebound; cooking, cleaning and caring for their family, was extremely rare. When given the employment chances during World War One women would have definitely benefited to extreme lengths. They were shown a whole different perception of life and their surroundings, a sense of freedom as they were able to wake up to a whole different routine where they were in control of their life, earning their own money and knowing that they would be capable of supporting themselves with the skills and knowledge they would have gained during the employment period, even if those wages were at a minimum. The war bestowed two valuable legacies on women. First, it opened up a wider range of occupations to female workers and hastened the collapse of traditional womens employment, particularly domestic service. It was definitely a hope among women in that when the War comes to an end, they would be acknowledged for their contributions and be given further chances to pursue careers outside of the home. Some may assume that a sudden vivid change to the way that women were used to living would have taken long periods of consideration and an initiative hesitation, women had been living these ways almost all of their life, long enough to create a sense of self-doubt and wonder whether or not they were capable or efficient enough to follow through with the job opportunities, and perform to the standards that were required. Women would have felt an immense amount of pressure to measure up to the performance of men in the workplace. To make up for the loss in the skilled workforce the entry of women in factories was often facilitated by dilution, that is to say, the breaking down of complex tasks into simpler activities that non-skilled women workers could easily carry out. There are a wide range of reasons why women also felt like they desired the employment opportunities, social influence played a massive part, contributing to the war time efforts and supporting their nation and alliance by acquiring an important role was obviously thought to be a crucial and appreciated supplement to the potential success in the War. In addition to this was the exciting chance to do something more exciting and varied in comparison to their dismal, patterned home life. Earning wages also played a part in the reasoning behind the decisions to take up the job opportunities. When the war finally came to an end in 1918, women were yet again, given an abrupt lifestyle shock. When the men of Britain eventually returned, the decision to pull women back out of work followed along. Men were re-employed back into their original jobs and women were expected to return to their initial roles of caring for the home, family, cooking and cleaning. Of course, after women were shown a completely different perception of the way their life could be, it would have been very difficult returning to the home after they had been given the chance of freedom and independence. As the main historian of women’s work, Gail Braybon, claims for many women the war was â€Å"a genuinely liberating experience† that made them feel useful as citizens but that also gave them the freedom and the wages only men had enjoyed so far. In general, women did very well, surprising men with their ability to undertake heavy work and with their efficiency. By the middle of the war they were already regarded as a force to be proud of, part of the glory of Britain. In conclusion, World War One effectively gave women a taste of independence and freedom. They were shown a different perspective on the way their life could be, and were given experiences of being part of the workforce, an experience that was thought would never arise. Although women were only used to replace men and then suddenly brought back to reality, the most famous consequence of wider women’s employment and involvement in World War 1, in popular imagination as well as in history books, is the widening enfranchisement of women as a direct result of recognizing their wartime contribution. Women were glad to know that their war time efforts were acknowledged and that they were able to contribute. The war revolutionised the industrial position of women. It found them serfs and left them free. It not only opened opportunities of employment in a number of skilled trades, but, more important even than this, it revolutionised mens minds and their conception of the sort of work of which the ordinary everyday woman was capable. This quote, from one of Britains most prominent suffragists, supports the statements that World War One changed womens lives in Britain.